The Darkness Within
by BuddyLee
Summary: We all have darkness inside of us, Granger. Even you, and sometimes no matter how hard we try to stop it….it still gets out." Draco said before walking away.
1. Prologue

As she slowly swirled around the floor in Viktor's arms Hermione couldn't help but admit that she was having a good time. The sound of the band and feeling herself being adored by one of the best Quidditch players on the planet, she couldn't help but feel slightly giddy. Other than her parents, Hermione couldn't remember anyone ever paying this much attention to her unless you counted Harry and Ron and all the times she'd had to help bail them out of their collective homework assignments.

Finally the band finished the more upbeat string of music they had been playing to work in a slow song. Hermione glanced at Viktor to see him smile and bow once again holding his hand out to her in offering of a more intimate dance around the floor. Smiling she took his hand and her other on his shoulder as they slowly began to waltz around the floor. Looking around she could see the rest of the students from the other schools dancing and enjoying themselves while constantly laughing and intermingling with the students of Hogwarts.

She looked to her right and saw Draco Malfoy dancing with Pansy Parkinson and she quickly turned her head in distaste. She secretly admired Draco for his brilliance and even a little bit for his arrogance which was not completely unfounded. As she continued to dance around the floor with Viktor she would catch glimpses of them dancing around the floor and Draco's apparent regret at being drug out onto the floor with Pansy was evident all over his face. Burying her face into Viktor's shoulder Hermione hid her secret smile from the rest of world at his discomfort. She could never see herself with Draco no matter how much she secretly admired or how physically attractive she found him. He was just to…to….Draco. He would never be, could never be nice to anyone. It was beyond his capabilities in her opinion. But still as she turned her head and pretended to rest it against Viktor's shoulder she would go out of her way to find Draco dancing around the floor so she could look at him a little longer.

After the song ended, she looked at Viktor and smiling said, "I need to rest of a bit. All this dancing has worn me out. I'm going to go say hi to Harry and Ron for a minute. Why don't you go get us some drinks?"

"Of course. I shall meet you at the table shortly," he replied and turned winding his way through the crowd over to the refreshment table to acquire their drinks.

Spotting Harry and Ron sitting at a table by themselves she walked over and unceremoniously plopped down in the chair next to Harry. Other than their usual hellos, they sat in silence watching the dance floor. Hermione could see Draco across the room dancing to a more upbeat number and to Hermione's surprise actually seemed to know what he was doing. "It's hot, isn't it?" Hermione asked watching Draco hips gyrating on the dance floor. Looking over at Ron and Harry she said, "Viktor's just gone to get us some drinks."

"You mean he hasn't had you start calling him Vicky yet?" Ron said scathingly.

Glaring at Hermione she instantly knew where this was headed and as much as she wanted to avoid making a scene she knew deep down it was inevitable. Ron proceeded to denounce her for coming with "Krum!" to the ball and that she must have obviously been either helping him to solve his egg or to hurt Harry in some way. As the argument continued to get worse, people around the room began to stare at the two of them arguing. Hermione not wanting to make a scene led Ron out of the Great Hall and as they continued their heated exchange she eventually just told both him and Harry to go to bed and that Ron had spoiled everything. As she sat down on the steps letting the tears fall down her cheeks she took off her shoes and slowly began wiping the glitter off her fingertips. Suddenly a shadow fell over the front of her feet and she looked up to see the one person she didn't want to see her like this. "Draco? What do you want?"

"Why are you crying Granger?" Draco asked looking around as if expecting another Slytherin to show up at any moment.

"What do you care? If I'm nothing more than a long-molared mudblood? Isn't that what you called me not but a few days ago?" Hermione asked angrily.

Quickly changing tacts, Draco looked around and then sat a step down from Hermione. "So Weaslby made you mad huh? Not exactly the straightest wand in Olivander's, is he?" Draco said mostly to himself.

"Doesn't matter. The night's spoiled now. What do you want Draco? Why are you here? Aren't you afraid one of your guppies will see you talking to me?" Hermione asked supremely frustrated.

"Well for being a…..not being a pure-blood I just thought I'd mention you clean up rather nice Granger." Draco said slightly embarrassed to say such a thing to someone he was brought up to believe was below him. He stood up to walk back down the steps.

"Why do you think he did it? I know you were watching us argue. Why do you think Ron started the argument with me?" Hermione asked to Draco's back as he began to walk back down the steps to the great hall.

Stopping and dropping his head, he paused taking in a deep breath and without turning around said, "Jealousy is a green monster Granger. It will make men do stupid things. Especially young men."

"You didn't answer my question," Hermione said surprised he even bothered to answer at all.

"Because the darkness got the better of him. We all have darkness inside of us, Granger. Even you, and sometimes no matter how hard we try to stop it….it still gets out." Draco said before walking away.

Hermione watched Draco walk away pondering whether he was right or not. Was it jealousy over Viktor that made Ron speak out against him to Hermione? As she sat there on the steps wiping away her tears another thought struck her suddenly. Was Draco trying to tell her something? She thought about what he said. Maybe he tries to keep his darkness at bay and can't. Maybe that's why he was always so mean to her. Then the more she thought about it the more she realized that maybe he was right. Maybe there was darkness inside everyone. Even her….


	2. Lonely Christmas

As Draco walked into the Great Hall he looked around and observed all the nearly empty tables. It always got this way at Christmas time, so depressing and lonely. At this point he wished he had someone to talk to. Anyone would do. Since Pansy and Blaise had both gone home to their families after the Yule ball to celebrate the holidays at home, he was friendless and stuck at the school. With his father out on business and his mother tending to a sick friend or some such nonsense he was left once again to his own devices. Looking around at the tables he spotted Granger sitting by herself reading a book same as she always seemed to be doing. In desperate need of some social interaction, any interaction really, Draco popped his neck to one side and then the other preparing himself for what he was about to do in desperation. He checked around the Great Hall to make sure there was no one around who knew either one them. After determining they were surrounded by nothing but a bunch on first years he walked over behind her and looking over her shoulder he said, "Another book Granger? Don't you ever give it a break?"

"I HAVE to pass my O.W.L.S next year," Hermione answers, looking up from the over-sized book she was reading. "And exams are going to be here before we know it, especially with the Tri-Wizard Tournament. I am trying to squeeze in any extra studying I can, thank you very much." She said before returning to her book, her eyes focused.

"You should learn to take it easy once in a while is what you should do. I mean even muggles must have things they do in their free time right? What did you do before you came to Hogwarts?" He asked skeptical that he didn't really want to know the answer, but boredom of being alone weighing out his skepticism.

"I studied." Hermione answers matter-of-factly not looking back at him. "And when I wasn't studying, I was doing recreational reading. Why...why are you talking to me?" She asked, looking at him confused.

Looking around the room he checked to make sure no one was within ear shot he said, "It's Christmas and almost everyone has gone home for the holidays since the excitement of the Tournament and Yule ball have died down. I don't know anyone who's stayed behind this year...except you Granger. The way I see it Christmas can get awful lonely with no one to talk to. Even if we hate each other we can still talk to one another, if for no other reason than to keep us from becoming hermits. Unless of course you would rather be a hermit?" Draco asks as he makes like he's going to get up and leave.

"No," Hermione answers thinking about it. Draco was right, Christmas didn't have to be lonely, why make it any worse. "Ron and Harry are gone too." She says, a little bit softer.

"Figures Weasel-bee and Potter would run off and leave you here alone." He said as he sat back down and grabbed a pastry. "So you never had any fun doing anything on the outside of reading before Hogwarts? Have you done anything outside of reading since you became a witch?" He asked honestly curious as to how she could have missed out on all the possible types of wizarding entertainment.

"I've done some things." Hermione answered, not wanting to give away what she had done with Harry and Ron, in case he was trying to drag information out of her. "Not Quidditch or anything but I went to the World Cup."

"Quidditch is a sport. Have you seen anything else? Music? Plays? Dinner entertainment?" He asked surprised by her lack of an answer.

"Mum and dad took me to a few muggle plays." Hermione answered, thinking about it. She couldn't help but wonder why Draco was digging so hard. She tried to think about what else she did in her free time, besides talk with Harry and Ron. "I try to free house elves. I started an organization for it. S.P.E.W."

"Free them? Why?" He asked incredulously. "Nevermind, I don't want to know. So you've never seen a wizarding play then?" He asked suddenly excited for some unknown reason. The fact that he was excited about Hermione Granger never seeing a wizarding play confused him but he brushed it off as nothing more than he was excited to have something to do.

Hermione shook her head softly. "No, do they Shakespeare?" She asked hopeful that they did.

"Shakespeare? Who the hell is that?" Draco asked.

"Nevermind," Hermione answered, shaking her head. "What kind of plays are they then? Who wrote them?"

"Oh, old wizards with beards longer than their coc-… well really old wizards. The plays themselves are kind of boring if you ask me but the magic they do is pretty fun to watch. Want to go see one? Hogsmeade theater has a group in from London if you want to go..." Draco asked looking down at the pastry in his hands. Did he just ask Hermione bloody Granger out on a date? No that wasn't the right word for it, they were just talking from a lack of other people to do so with. Just because he asked her to see a play didn't mean he liked her. She was a mudblood after all. A pretty one in a plain sort of way, as far as mudbloods went.

"You...you want me to go to a play with you?" She asked confused. This had to be a joke, a prank of some sort. One that Harry and Ron were pulling and it was secretly one of them with some polyjuice potion only acting like Draco Malfoy, waiting for her to give in so they could never let her live it down that she agreed. "What's the catch?!"

"Only that you promise not to tell anyone that were on speaking terms once break ends. I've got a reputation to maintain. Agreed?" He raised an eyebrow, while holding his hand out to her across the table.

"Agreed," Hermione answered reaching out and taking his hand, slightly comforted by the thought that no one would know they had gone out on a date. "My lips are sealed."

Standing up from the table Draco looked down at Hermione with a slight grin. "Very well then . The show starts at seven so I'll meet you outside the Three Broomsticks at six thirty?"

Hermione nodded her head softly, already trying to figure out what she was going to wear. She had never officially been on a date before.

Nodding Draco turned and headed toward the entrance of the great hall. Stopping short he turned around and said, "and Granger. Wear something nice." Smiling he turned and walked out of the great hall with no idea as to why.

Hermione stared at the doorway. Draco just told her to wear something nice. He...he was taking her out on a date. Hermione smiled, nearly jumping for joy, although she had no idea as to why.


	3. Wines, Plays, and Darkness

As Hermione waited outside the Three Broomsticks in a red dress that went down to her knees and a small gold necklace while she waited, hoping that he wasn't going to leave her waiting. That seemed like something Draco would do just to make a fool out of her.

Draco spotted Hermione waiting outside the Three Broomsticks in a red dress that made him absolutely rethink and further caused him to retract the statement he had made about Hermione being plain earlier that day in the Great Hall. In that dress she was anything but plain. He paused a few yards away to admire her. She looked well...beautiful. Walking up to her the only quick remark he could come up with was, "you clean up nice Granger."

"I'm going to take that as a compliment Draco, so thank you." Hermione answered, now wondering if this was worth it as she sighed before looking at him in his usual button down white shirt, tie, and black slacks. "You look nice too." She says softly.

"Of course. Wouldn't do for me not to be looking my best, now would it? Shall we?" He asked holding out his arm for her to take. Seeing the hesitation in her eyes caused him to purse his lips and say, "It's alright Granger I'm not going to bite you."

"It's not the biting I'm worried about." Hermione answers with a whisper before placing her arm on his, shocked as she felt of a jolt of electricity go through her that she couldn't describe. It didn't feel like anything magic-related although it was a very magical.

Draco suddenly felt light headed as Hermione slipped her arm through his. He couldn't describe what he felt but it was...exquisite. Turning he led them down the streets of Hogsmeade toward the theater near the center of town. When they arrived Draco breezed past the line in front of the ticket window and proceeded to walk straight into the theater.

"You just jumped ahead of all those people," Hermione says, looking back at the line of at least forty people. "We should go back there and wait like everyone else. It's only right."

"Ha! Wait in line like everyday commoners? Not when you're with me Granger." Draco said with a smirk as he walked up to a gentleman wearing very crisp elegant dress robes. "Ahh! Young master Malfoy. How good to see you sir and with such a lovely young woman. Would you care for some refreshments young sire?" The steward asked with a very aristocratic accent. "A bottle of pinot noir and the caviar tray, Bernard. Quickly, I'd like it before the play begins." The steward nodded politely and said "yes of course young master, your balcony is already prepared and your programs and glasses are waiting."

"Pinot Noir? Caviar?" Hermione asks, raising an eyebrow at Draco. "Your own balcony? Don't you think this is all a bit much?!" Hermione asks, looking at Draco in shock, remembering the lower levels where her parents had sat with her in the muggle theatre with her after waiting for sometimes up to an hour outside to see a Shakespeare play performed.

"Only the best for a Malfoy and his dat-...friends. Besides if we're going to hang out over the holidays you'll have to get used to a little bit of extravagance." Draco said with a smile as he watched her eyes light up with awe as they began to climb the staircase to the balcony. "Do you like the theater?"

"I used to love going to the muggle theatre with mum and dad." Hermione answers, looking around in awe. She had never seen the upper levels, the balconies. This was extravagant, just as Draco had said. "They used to take me for my birthday. They also took me when I got my acceptance letter to Hogwarts." Hermione says before catching on to what Draco had said a few moments before. "Hang out over the holidays, as…as friends?" Hermione asks, "I thought this was only a one-time thing?"

"No, you assumed it was only a onetime thing. Do you only want it to be a onetime thing Granger?" Draco asked as he pulled back the curtain to their balcony which was the closest one to the stage therefore providing the best view.

Hermione stared in awe, breathless from the view. "N-No." She answered, staring straight ahead at the stage. "We- we can hang out, as friends I mean, over the holidays but once school starts back up, it's like it never happened, right?" She asked, finally breaking her stare from the stage to turn and look at him.

"Of course. Like it never happened. Wouldn't do for the rest of the world to find out that Draco Malfoy was hanging out with a mud-...with someone like you." Draco caught himself halfway between saying the word mudblood but since there was really no one around he had no need to keep up precedence. Draco stepped forward and pulled out Hermione's chair for her before she could chastise him for almost calling her a mudblood.

Hermione sat down in the chair before glaring at him. "And what's wrong with you hanging out with 'someone like me' if you don't have a problem with it?!" She asks, a slight sting in her voice.

"It wouldn't be...proper. There's a certain order to the populaces of society Granger. Even in the wizarding world. Classes would probably be a better term. I didn't come here to pick a fight with you though. There's plenty of time for that once the holidays are over. In the meantime can we just pretend that were...I don't know...something other than enemies?" Draco asked picking up his program and scanning the notations in it.

Hermione huffed before looking over at him. Maybe this was too much for Draco, maybe the way he saw things was just a front. No, that was impossible. He was still Draco Malfoy, friends around or not. "What are we watching?" She asked finally, trying to be civil.

"It's a play called "The Darkness". Do you speak Italian?" Draco asked honestly interested to see if she was as smart as she portrayed herself to be.

Hermione looked down at her lap. "I can speak Latin, but not Italian." She answers honestly, waiting for him to make a mockery of her.

"That's ok. You don't really need to be able to speak the language to understand the play. The music is very powerful and moving that you should get the general idea of what's going on. If not feel free to ask and I'll lean over and whisper in your ear..." Draco said with a sly grin. He hadn't intended for this too be anything more than them hanging out but if he were to go to bed Hermione Granger that would just make him all the happier.

Hermione nodded her head, taking it that Draco was just being nice. Surely he couldn't have been coming onto her, not after the comment he had just made about "Her type". "Thank you," She whispers, smiling slightly at him.

"You're welcome. See I'm not such a bad guy once you get to know me Granger. I can be quite nice when I want to be." Draco replied just as the waiter brought in a tray containing the caviar and crackers with cheese and fruit. The bottle of deep red wine was opened and placed in a bucket of ice. The waiter asked if they would need anything else and with a wave of Draco's hand he disappeared behind the curtain closing off their balcony from the hallway. As Hermione admired the stage and their surrounding Draco proceeded to pour the wine. He sat back down and handed Hermione her glass. "It's a sweeter wine, I thought you might enjoy. I hope you like it."

"Thank you," Hermione answers, taking the glass. She had never had a wine before, much less a finer wine but once she took a small sip, Hermione realized that she did rather like it. "I didn't know you had kindness in you Draco." She answers with a bit of a smirk. "Not that I'm complaining."

"Don't fool yourself Granger. I've still got the darkness in me too you know. I just can't control it as good as you can. But that also doesn't mean that I can't control it at all." He said grabbing a cracker from the tray and spooning on caviar he handed it to Hermione.

Hermione listened as the music of the play started, taking another drink of her wine before looking at Draco. She had just long enough to make one last comment before the music drowned them out, made it impossible for them to hear each other unless, as Draco had said, he was whispering in her ear. "You're very sweet when you control it." She tells him before looking at the stage, watching them act out the play.

Sweet? Draco could remember being called many things in his life but sweet was never one of them. Was he being sweet? He didn't really realize it if he was but if it made her happy he couldn't really complain. But wait...Why did he care if it made her happy or not at all? He didn't really care about her happiness did he? Draco sat pondering these questions as he watched the play unfold below them on the stage. He honestly didn't care about the play, having seen it with his parents a few times before. He caught himself looking over at Hermione's face out of the corner of his eye trying to gauge her reaction to the music. As the performers came out on stage, he watched Hermione's eyes light up as the wizards hanging down from the ceiling above them began to weave their spells causing the performers on stage to change colors and forms to the awe of the audience.

She stared in awe as the performers repeatedly changed their appearances to fit the storyline, using red to symbolize blood just as the muggle plays had. Occasionally, she would recognize one of the spells they threw out amongst the words in Italian as she sipped on the wine. "Who is the one in the black?" She whispers softly, leaning in closer to Draco to make sure he could hear her.

Leaning back to whisper in her ear he replied, "That's THE DARKNESS. The evil that lay's inside everyone. Doesn't matter whether you are a good person or a bad person, everyone has it. Remember what I told you the night of the Yule ball? Well this play is just a representation of the idea."

He turned to look at her and noticed the thoughtful look on her face. She was actually quite beautiful when she was deep in thought. The way you could almost see her thinking an idea through, turning it over and looking at it every way possible.

Hermione thinks it over, finding it believable as she takes another drink of her wine, finishing the glass. "I can see that," She whispers back before laying her head softly on his shoulder, continuing to watch the play.

As Hermione laid her head on his shoulder Draco's first instinct was to pull away but after a moment's hesitation he relaxed and sat back to watch the play. He had forgotten just how fun it was to watch one. Soon enough it was time for the intermission and as the performers left the stage and the curtain came down Draco stood up and stretched his legs. "Would you like to walk around for a moment? Stretch your legs before the next half of the play?" He asked as he held out his hand to her.

Hermione nodded her head softly. "Yes, please." She answered, taking his hand before standing up and feeling everything spinning the slightest bit. Maybe she had had a little bit too much to drink. "Lead the way," She whispers, trying not to make it obvious. She would just drink water for the second half of the play, that should help her feel better.

Noticing her swaying on her feet just a bit, Draco decided to take it slow and walked them down the hall to the lavatories. After they were finished they took a stroll around the top level of the theater enjoying some of the artwork and sculptures decorating the walls. He stopped in front a particularly detailed painting and admired it. It was an artist's interpretation of the play they were watching now. He found it slightly ironic that he was enjoying it with Hermione Granger of all people.

"It seems depressing, doesn't it?" Hermione asks, tilting her head slightly at the artwork. "Do you really think there is that much darkness in the world?"

"Without a doubt. For every bit of light there is darkness. There has to be balance between the two or nothing could survive." He replied looking over at her as she admired the painting. "Do you disagree?" He asked wondering whether she would disagree with him just out of habit.

Hermione shook her head after thinking about it. There had to be balance in the world, there was always balance in everything. Just enough predators to eat the prey and not over-populate or extinct any certain species, enough gravity from the sun to keep the Earth in rotation but not pull it into the giant ball of flames and gases. It only made sense in her highly-logical mind that light and darkness should be the same. "No, I just think that the painter did a rather bad job at portraying it." She answers, "Look at how many shades of black, grey, and dark blue there are in the painting, but there is hardly any yellow and orange to weigh it out with the light. Don't seem very balanced, is all." She answers, thinking about it.

Draco looked closer at the painting and realized that she was right. The painter had done a very lousy job of portraying both sides.

Nodding he looked over at Hermione and said, "I agree. My father would like this painting I think. It shows only what he want to see. Darkness..." Shaking his head Draco turned and walked them back toward there balcony seats.

As they sat back down, Hermione sat up straight once again making sure that she didn't give Draco the wrong idea. This was supposed to be them going out as friends, if that's even what you wanted to call it, as acquaintances, out of boredom. She couldn't be laying her head on him and giving him the wrong idea.

After sitting down he noticed that Hermione didn't lay her head back down on his shoulder as the lights dimmed backed down for the second half of the play. He found himself disappointed by it but he couldn't figure out why. Hermione was causing him to thinking alot of deep thoughts in one evening and he wasn't quite used to that. Least of all from a mudblood. All he could be sure of was for some unknown reason he found himself craving her touch again and by everything that he had been taught the entire time he was growing up that was wrong. But how could something so wrong feel so...not wrong? They continued to watch the play and Draco refilled his glass hoping the wine would help him relax. He looked at Hermione and raised the bottle as if to ask "Another glass?"

Hermione, completely engulfed in the play taking place in front of her, turned momentarily to look at Draco. "Yes, please." She answered, so wrapped up in what was going on around her, the new experience, to think about how she had felt standing up for the intermission.

Draco took her glass and tipped the wine bottle to fill it again. After filling it he placed it back in the bucket of ice and held her glass out to her. When she reached out to take it their fingers brushed and they were both instantly alerted to the others presence. Their eyes locked for just a moment and Draco saw the surprise in his own eyes mirrored in hers. Quickly he pulled his hand away and turned back to the play. He flexed his wrist because even after he let go of the glass the electric feeling was still crawling all over his hand and wrist.

"Thank you," Hermione whispers softly, thankful for the darkness of the theatre to keep him from seeing the crimson color her cheeks were turning. This is the boy you punched in the face, Hermione reminds herself as she watched 'Darkness' dance around a woman in white, turning her clothes to match his own. You are not supposed to be blushing because he touched your hand. She told herself before taking a gulp of her wine and trying to keep her mind from Draco.

She closed her eyes, trying to focus her thoughts before opening them to watch the play once more, occasionally looking down at Draco's hand not far from her own. There were only inches between his hand and her own and yet it felt like miles at the thought of moving her own. What if he's different, if he's grown up? She asks herself, staring down at her glass of wine before looking back up at the play. Suddenly, she noticed something. Never once did the 'Darkness' circle someone, turning them white again. "Does anyone ever change back to the light?" She asks, leaning towards Draco again.

Draco rubbed his chin thoughtfully thinking about it. "I suppose they could. I don't remember ever hearing about it but that's not to say it couldn't be done. Why do you ask Granger? Thinking about taking a walk on the darkside?" Draco asks with a smirk.

Hermione looked at him in shock, trying to figure out if she should take him serious or not. She decided, for the sake of the night staying peaceful, she would take it as a joke. "You wish!" She answers, puckering up her lips slightly in a smile before turning back to the play.

"Maybe," He replied turning back to the play. They sat in silence for the rest of the play both lost in their own thoughts. When the play finally ended they both stood and clapped with the rest of the audience. Draco turned and once again held his hand out to Hermione. He tensed slightly wondering whether or not the...electricity, would be there once again.


	4. Electric Walks and Breakfast Hangovers

As the play ended, Hermione and Draco began the long walk through Hogsmeade heading back to the school grounds. Winding their way back and forth through other patrons of the play, Hermione swayed slightly to and fro with Draco having to pull her out of the way so as to avoid running into other people.

"Granger are you dru-...are you alright?" Draco asked not wanting to antagonize her if she was. He wondered how it would look if he was seen by someone who recognized him, walking down the streets of Hogsmeade with a drunk girl... young woman. He had to face the fact that the snotty know-it-all he had met at Hogwarts 4 years ago wasn't just some snot nosed little brat with frizzy hair and buck teeth anymore. For some reason the thought made him somber and sober up very quickly.

"I'm fine." Hermione answers happily, wrapping her arms around him to keep herself steady as she stumbled along. She couldn't help but want to touch him, to feel the electricity between them again but she knew she had to keep her self-control, slightly…well very intoxicated or not.

"Sure you are Granger. Hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil." He said as she wrapped her arms around him. The minute they touched he felt it again. The power...the electricity. He didn't stop her because deep down some primitive part of him craved her touch. She was like a drug. As they trudged up the snow layered path to Hogwarts he noticed her shivering. "You know I would think someone as smart as you would think to bring a heavier jacket." Draco said as he stopped them and pulled off his jacket and slipped it around her shoulders.

"Thank you," Hermione whispered with a blush and pulled the jacket tighter around her shoulders. She tilted her face down and breathed in the smell of his coat and she instantly smelled the sweet aroma of mint. She was still walking a little bit too close to Draco, but she couldn't help it. The logical part of her mind told her not to let herself get too close, that she would regret it. Draco had told her it was only for the winter. She didn't want to risk the heartache of him telling her it was over when the holidays ended but his touch felt so sweet.

Noticing she was still shivering even with his coat and he'd admit it only to himself that he craved her touch, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder to warm her up. "So what do you want to do tomorrow Miss. Granger?"

"Tomorrow?" Hermione asks, looking at him. "I mean...another date...as friends of course...but, so soon?" She asks looking at him in shock as she caved in to his touch, laying her head on his shoulder. Don't get attached, Hermione continued to remind herself, repeating it like a mantra over and over again in her head. This is only to free his time, she reminded, continuing to berate herself.

"Are you saying no Granger? Have you got something better to fill your time off?" He asked with a smirk knowing what her answer would be.

"Well, I was going to spend the day studying but...I mean...if you want to do something else..." Hermione answers, trying to think of what they could possibly do. "Have you ever considered just talking to a girl instead of extravagant dates and fancy wines?" She asks, the wine giving her the courage to do so. "There is a spot I know of, by the lake that is rather nice."

"You and your studying, Granger. Don't you ever give time to the rest of life? There is more to it than that you know. But if you insist...where is this lakeside spot?" Draco asked hesitantly. Maybe he could deal with her habit if he could at least stay outdoors.

"Well, I wasn't going to study with you." Hermione answers, "I was just saying that's what my plans were before you mentioned wanting to see me tomorrow. But there are other things you can do with a woman besides spend a fortune." She says, thinking about it. Draco had shown her something new and exciting, she wanted to return the favor but she knew Draco wouldn't agree to doing anything muggle. This would have to suffice, a small date. Maybe a picnic.

"Like what?" Draco asked wondering just what it was exactly she had in mind.

"We can go on a picnic." Hermione answers happily. "If we stay in the sunlight, it shouldn't be that cold. Or we can just sit out there and talk if you'd rather." She says, laying her head on his shoulder.

Draco instantly relaxed at the feel of her on his shoulder. "A picnic? It sounds so...so...muggle. Your word, Granger, that no one finds out?"

"How would I explain that I went to a play or a picnic with Draco Malfoy?" Hermione asks with a laugh, even herself realizing how silly it sounded.

"Touché. Ok so a study picnic at the lake tomorrow. I'll bring the food if you bring the books." Draco said with a smirk knowing how he could still rule the day with Hermione Granger. He prided himself in know excellent food and if he couldn't deter her from studying at least he could do it on a full stomach.

"A study picnic?!" Hermione asks, honored and respected that Draco was still willing to respect her studies. "What are you needing help with?"

Draco laughed before saying, "Who says I need help with anything Hermione? I'm the smartest guy in Hogwarts. Didn't you know?"

"If you are, then why are you still only second best in all of our classes, minus Study of Ancient Runes, which I still don't understand." Hermione answers firmly shaking her head. "It seems like I can study them all day long and I still get something wrong."

As they approached the school gates Draco smirked at her comment. If she only knew the truth and he was half tempted to tell her, but no he didn't want to ruin what they had going for the short time they had it. As they stopped at the main entrance to the castle, Draco turned to her and said, "Well maybe I don't want to be number one. Maybe I just want to stay under the radar. I'll help you with ancient runes tomorrow. What time?"

"Noon, since we are eating too?" Hermione asked, thinking about it. That would probably be best and since Draco was persistent on being discrete, no one would see them if everyone was eating in the Great Hall. "Why though? Why would someone who is as persistent as you on acting like you are the best at everything, want to stay under the radar?"

"Because if I'm always the best, everyone's going to want to know how and why I do it. This way I stay out of the light because truthfully I kind of like it in the darkness. Well I think this is where we part ways . Until tomorrow then..." Draco said with a grin and a slight bow. He then turned and left Hermione standing at the main doors as he walked toward the dungeons.

Hermione stared on, taking a gulp before running up to the Gryffindor Common Room. She was excited and couldn't help but look forward to the next day when she could see him again. That night Hermione didn't sleep very well. As she walked to the Great Hall for breakfast the next morning, she felt her heart sink when Draco wasn't already at his usual spot at the Slytherin table.

"You going to stand there all day Granger or can I get something to eat?" Draco said with a bit of scorn in his voice. He had a headache from the wine the night before and was in no mood to be delayed from his food.

"Sorry," Hermione whispers, moving to the side. She couldn't help but wonder with the mood he was in, whether or not they were still meeting up for lunch or if it was just part of some crazy dream she had had in her unfit full night of sleep.

"Hey c'mon, there's a table over there. Let's eat cause I'm famished." Draco asked as he pointed and began to walk over to one of the many empty tables in the room. Sensing her hesitation he turned back to her and said, "Coming or not Granger? I haven't got all morning."

"Let's eat?" Hermione asked in confusion. "You...you want me to join you?" Maybe it wasn't all a dream. Maybe Draco really did want to spend time with her for some unknown reason, though she still wasn't sure if it was all part of some ruse to make her look like an idiot.

"Well, the way I see it there's no one in this castle who knows us at the moment other than the teachers and I really don't think they give a damn who were talking to with the tournament going on and all, so were plenty safe." Draco said sitting at a table and loading up his plate with food.

Hermione nodded her head in confusion, taking a few things and placing them on her plate, trying to still leave room so she would be hungry for lunch as she looked at Draco's plate. Please don't let him eat like Ron, she thought to herself with a queasy stomach from the night before, I don't think I could stomach it this morning. "So, are we still on for lunch then?" She asks, trying not to sound hopeful.

"Why? You wanting to back out?" Draco asked, surprised at how much the thought of her backing out bothered him. "I've already got the food picked out."

"No, I just thought with how you were talking earlier that you really didn't want to." Hermione answers, looking down at her plate and continuing, "I didn't want to be a nuisance."

"Granger! I'm touched that you care what I think. No, if I was that worried about it then I wouldn't be "hanging" out with you at all," Draco said as he began to cut his food and take the slow meticulous bite his mother had always taught him.

"I was just wondering then…." Hermione tried to think of a way to phrase it without offending him.

"Spit it out Granger. Like I said earlier I don't have all morning you know," Draco replied between bites.

"Why are you like this?" Hermione finally asks boldly.

"Like what?" Draco asked off handedly. He already knew what she wanted to know but he wondered if she was brave enough to ask.

"Why are you so...cocky...whenever you're here at Hogwarts? When we went out to the play last night, you were decent. You were a gentleman even. Now you are back to being a twit." Hermione answers, hoping Draco listened and didn't just take offense to what she said.

"A twit?" Draco asked surprised at her boldness. "Of course I'm a twit! I have to be. How would it look if a Malfoy wasn't being one? You think I like acting like a twit? I don't have a choice!" He said angrily as he slammed his fist on the table which caused a group of first years to look strangely in their direction. Draco eyed them back, daring someone to say something and they all instantly had more important things to look at or discuss. Turning back Draco eyed Hermione before saying, "I don't enjoy being this way Hermione but I don't have a choice."

"Well, I don't see why not." Hermione answers matter-of-factly. "It's not like anyone's making you act like this. The Draco I saw last night was decent. Someone I wouldn't mind knowing better. Wait?! What?" Hermione asks, looking at him shocked as her stomach dropped from the sound of him mentioning her name. She couldn't hide the butterflies it left her with. "What did you just call me?!"

"Hermione. Why?"

"Oh," Hermione answers in shock, blushing lightly as she felt her stomach spin again, wondering if it was from him speaking her name or the wine from the night before. Either way, she didn't want it to stop. "It just threw me off, is all." She says, looking at the table in front of her.

"What? Why? That is your name isn't it? Or do you just let Weasley-bee and Potter call you that for the fun of it?" He asked not understanding why she was making such a fuss over it.

"No, it's my name. It's fine. It just...startled me is all." Hermione answers.

"Don't see why," Draco says continuing to eat. "It's not like I've never called you Hermione before..."

"You haven't...not to my face anyway." Hermione answers. "It's always Granger or...that other word...I like it though."

Draco sat back in his chair and thoughtfully rubbed his chin. She was right as loath as he was to admit it. He had never really thought about it before but her name did seem to roll around his head in a pleasant sort of way. "Hermione. Hmmm... I think I could get used to saying it. When were alone of course..."

"Of course." Hermione answers, gathering up her stuff. "So, I'll meet you at the rock where I punched you last year, okay?" She says with a smirk as she stood collecting her books, smiling to herself all the way to the common room at the shocked look on Draco's face.


	5. Picnic of Cheaters

Hermione waited impatiently at the rock where she had hit Draco in the face only a short year before. It was still only ten-til-twelve but she couldn't wait any longer as she grew antsy down in the library with anticipation, so she wandered her way quickly through the halls until she was at the rocks. Sitting down, she started to read her copy of _Magical Hieroglyphs and Logograms_ book while she waited.

"Are you early for EVERYTHING in life?" Draco asked Hermione as he walked down the steps leisurely. He had the sack of food strung over his shoulder and was wearing jeans and a dress shirt. "Well?"

"Not everything." Hermione answered closing her book, "but I would rather be early than late. If you are late, people think you are unorganized and unprepared."

Draco tilted his head back and laughed. When he was through he looked Hermione in the eye and asked, "Even if your fashionably so?" He asked holding out his arms and striking what he thought was his come and eat me up pose.

"Well, I would assume that would be different." Hermione answered with a laugh before shaking her head and walking ahead of him.

Following behind her Draco shuffled to catch up. When he was beside her he looked her up and down out of the corner of his eye and found himself imagining her placing her arm through his and leaning her head on his shoulder like she had the night before. "So, …Hermione what's your problem with Ancient Runes?"

"It's just harder to memorize than the other subjects. Like the numbers. I understand that Unicorn is one, Graphorn is two, and Runespoor is three. Those are obvious because of the horns, but Fwooper is more difficult. How can it be four if it only has one horn?" She asked in a flustered confusion as they carefully walked down the hill through the field of stones at their feet constantly threatening to trip them.

"You're using the horn trick?" Draco asked shaking his head. "We really need to reorganize the way you do your studying. So where is this study place of yours at anyways?" Looking around them he couldn't really imagine any place around that would be comfortable enough for a picnic.

"Right over there." Hermione answered, pointing to the tree line if the Forbidden Forest. A large rock blocked the view of where they would be sitting from the castle but the sun shined down on it perfectly as the soft waves that the wind blew onto the lake crashed into the rocks below, giving the area a sense of serenity. "How are you studying them then? I assumed the horn method would be the best way. It works for the first three but I am always willing to learn new study tactics."

"Study tactics? It's not a war Hermione. You're not going in the test with the outcome being life or death. Here help me setup the blanket and food and we'll talk about it." Draco said shaking his head wistfully. He pulled out the blanket from the sack and handed Hermione one side.

Hermione helped him to straighten out the blanket before sitting down and looking inside the basket. Pulling out two glasses, she set them on either side of the blanket, trying to keep it level on the snowy ground beneath them.

Draco pulled out his wand and began casting a warming spell around them in order to keep out the cold. With a few quick twists of his wrist and some muttered words he had created a nice warm bubble around them.

Hermione felt the air warm up immediately, comforted by the warmth as she took her heavy winter coat off, exposing her usual long sleeved striped shirt and blue jeans. She reached back into the picnic basket and pulled out two plates, setting them down so they would be sitting next to each other as opposed to across from one another. She couldn't help it, but for some strange and absolutely unknown reason she wanted to be closer to him.

Draco found himself enjoying the silence between them. It wasn't awkward or so bad they had to try to force a conversation. He was strangely satisfied just being around her which unnerved him more than anything else. "You're hungry I hope?"

Hermione nodded her head. "Famished," She answered as she leaned back on her hands, soaking up the sun as she closed her eyes. It felt wonderful having the light and heat of the sun washing over her face and she couldn't help but feel relaxed.

Draco couldn't help but stand there admiring Hermione in the light of the sun. She was actually quite pretty. Wait what was he thinking? She was a mud-...she was muggleborn. He didn't need that kind of trouble to come down on him from his father so he didn't even know why the thought had crossed his mind. But as he stood there admiring her beauty, Draco couldn't help but be tempted by something about her.

Opening her eyes Hermione looked over at Draco, tilting her head slightly. "Are you ready to study?" She asks with a bit of a snicker. "Share your secrets with me on how to overcome Ancient Runes, Master Malfoy?"

Draco shook his head to clear before answering, "Food first, then we study. Do you like duck?" He had always been a fiend for the more expensive types of fowl, geese being his favorite but duck doing in a pinch since the season for geese had already passed.

"Duck?" Hermione asks, snarling her nose slightly as she looked down at the food. It looked good and smelt good but it was still...a duck. "What's it taste like?"

"What does any bird taste like? Chicken of course." Draco said with a smirk. "Try it. You'll like it. Its covered in a mango salsa."

Hermione took a small bite, still unsure at the thought of eating duck. She let the taste linger in her mouth for a moment, tasting the familiar taste of chicken mixed with a tropical fruit and spicy flavor. "Mmm..." She said finally, looking over at Draco. "It's not bad, but why on earth eat it, if it just tastes like a smoked chicken?"

"Because it's the best of course." Draco replied shaking his head to himself. She was really going to have to learn to enjoy the better things in life if they were going to be hanging out more. Even if it was where no one else could see.

Hermione shook her head. There was obviously no talking common sense into someone like Draco, someone so set in their own ways to see anyone else's. "Well, it does taste good." She said finally, looking down at her plate before glancing back up, her eyes meeting his. "Thank you." She whispers in reply.

"Yea well what's the point of having money if you don't get to spend it on the best of things, right?" Draco asked as he took his seat beside Hermione and began loading food onto his plate. "This isn't a bad spot. I kind of like it here. Quiet. Not the horrible array of noises in the Great Hall."

"That's why I always come here." Hermione answers looking out over the lake, "Ron and Harry are great but sometimes I just need somewhere to get away to. To be able to relax and study with peace and quiet. I can't get that in the Common Room with the two of them always asking me to write their reports for them." She confesses, taking another bite of the marinated duck.

Draco blanched at her words before thinking to respond with, "You write their reports for them? YOU? The great Hermione Granger helps not just one but two other students cheat? And the Great Potter being one of them to boot?" He couldn't believe she had confessed that to him whether it was intentional or not. He immediately grew a new respect for her.

Hermione looked down at her food, suddenly feeling a rush of guilt sweep through her. She had said too much. She wasn't supposed to let Draco know that, let him know anything he could later use against her and here she was telling him that she helped Harry and Ron cheat. "Well, not quite like that," She answers, trying to quickly cover the truth she had just let slip to him with a lie. "More like I review it, I mean. I read over their reports and let them know when they got the information wrong. Like Ron cannot grasp the concept that wolfsbane and aconite are the same thing. Whenever they get something like that wrong, I correct it for them." She answers, hoping Draco would believe her.

"You're a bad liar Hermione. If we're going to hang out you're going to have to learn to lie better than that. You said you wrote their papers for them, not edit them." He chided her even though he was grinning from ear to ear. Seeing the look of concern on her face he laughed and said, "Besides if that's the worst thing you've done at Hogwarts then you're still a saint. Worry not Saint Granger your secrets are safe with me."

"Let's just forget that I said that," Hermione whispers, blushing as she looked back up at him, avoiding eye contact. "It's still nice to get out here and just get away for a while. It makes studying a lot easier when there aren't distractions."

Finishing his duck leg Draco nodded his head in agreement. He did like being out here in the quiet, even if it wasn't the nicest day out. Draco had to persist though out of sure curiosity, "So...if you'll cheat at the essays why don't you cheat at Ancient Runes? I mean it's pretty much the same thing right?" He asked preparing for an argument.

"It's not me cheating." Hermione answers, correcting Draco firmly, shocked and disgusted that he would even suggest such a thing. "I am only helping Ron and Harry out, not cheating. Besides, I couldn't cheat in Ancient Runes. It isn't fair to the others if I am cheating to get the answers. It is...wrong, and...immoral." Hermione says, trying to find the proper words as she held her head high, her arms now crossed across her chest as she turned her head away from Draco in disappointment. "I thought even you were above that, Draco."

"This coming from the woman who writes others papers for them. Isn't that the pot calling the cauldron black? Besides I don't know what you're so upset about. Personally I think it's a good thing. It shows you're willing to do whatever's necessary to..." What? Win? Survive? Draco couldn't think of the proper term for what he was trying to say so he settled for, "It shows your determination." He nodded approvingly at her as he started packing up the leftover food.

"It shows I'm determined?!" Hermione asks, now even more upset over what the man in front of her was saying. "No, determination is studying until you have the material memorized. Cheating is lying about it. Cheating will not do you any good if you need to use what you have learned later on." She says before finally turning back around to face him. She couldn't explain it, but she felt hurt that he was packing up. Was he leaving? "Where are you going?" She asks with concern, her voice suddenly softer and more fragile.

"I've suddenly found I've got something I need to take care of. Think about it would you? You'd be surprised what you're willing to do when you have to. If you want any help I'll tell you how I do it..." He said with a wicked grin as he picked up the basket and began walking up to the Castle leaving Hermione with a shocked scorn on her face as he swung the bag to and fro smiling to himself and humming a tune all the way back to the dungeons.


	6. Notes and Noddy

Hermione sat there the following day at dinner. There were only a few days left until Christmas Break was over and then Ron and Harry would be back. Until it was back to life for them with people like Pansy Parkinson being obnoxious and Viktor Krum constantly watching her study. She only had a few days left of this bittersweet memory of the one holiday that she got to enjoy not being herself with Draco Malfoy and yet she couldn't even enjoy it. Every time she looked in his general direction, her blood started boiling at the thought of what he had suggested. Sure, Draco may be a cheater, one who claimed his good grades and brains based off of the knowledge of others but Hermione wouldn't, no she couldn't do it. She was better than that and although they hadn't talked since he had left her sitting by herself the day before at the lake, she couldn't help but feel the slightest bit lonely without his company.

Draco continued to sit there and wondered what he was going to do. He knew how much Hermione cared about her grades and he wanted to show her that...that what? That he cared about what she cared about? That he cared...about her? No that wasn't right. This was just something to fill the gap during break. The loneliness during break and that was all, because once break was over he was back to being a Malfoy and nothing would change that. But, break wasn't over yet and he'd be damned if he was going to let himself be bored and lonely for the rest of the time he was stuck at the school without anyone else he knew. Quickly pulling out a piece of parchment and grabbing his quill he wrote a short note to Hermione, then he folded it into the form of a bird and casting a quick enchantment on it sent it flying in her direction.

Hermione raised her eyebrows in disbelief as the bird flew down on the table in front of her before opening it slowly, shaking her head as she did so. As she read the letter in disbelief, she found herself both excited and relieved that he was still talking to her. Scanning the words he'd written she quickly read,

_I'm sorry about lunch. Meet me at the Library at 7:00? I want to show you something._

Hermione rolled her eyes before reaching into the back of her potions book, where she normally kept her extra parchment, just in case she had to write down some important tidbit of information that she had read in one of her many books, and grabbing one of the blank pages she began to write.

_**And why should I? You want to show me the answers to our next Potions exam too?**_

Hermione quickly folded the letter and with a quick twirl of her wand sent a bird back to Draco that hovered above him for a minute before smacking him in the forehead and landing on the table in fornt of him. Shaking his head with a grimace he quickly read her note and then taking his time jotted down another snarky response to her that simply stated,

_Why? Would you write out my part of the essay for me if I asked you too? Listen, I'm not trying to be a twit right now but you're sure acting like one. I'd like to spend the last few days of break not sulking by myself in the dungeons. So will you meet me or not? _

_P.S. I really do have something to show you._

He quickly folded the note back up and sent it back to her to the looks of a few first years who quickly turned away once they got a look at his piercing gaze.

Hermione couldn't help but gasp in shock at what he had wrote. He had called her a twit and...for some unknown reason, it had actually hurt her. It hurt worse than when he had called her that horrible name their second year, bringing tears to her eyes. This...this almost felt like it had come from a friend. She looked across the hall, her eyes meeting his as she nods her head softly.

Seeing her nod made Draco feel better. He knew he'd been a bit rude in the last note but he didn't really know another way to get through to the stubborn girl, because at this moment he was having a hard time seeing her as anything more than a stubborn little girl.

As Draco sat impatiently waiting in the library next to the window in the back row of books, he waited secretly praying for Hermione to show up. He was actually quite excited at the surprise he had to show her and hoped that she would truly appreciate it since it wasn't something that he was normally up for sharing with someone who wasn't a fellow Slytherin. A glimpse into something he actually enjoyed doing, into his…personality.

Hermione slowly walked into the library, looking around for the boy who she knew she shouldn't be wanting to meet. If Harry and Ron knew, well to be honest if Harry or Ron knew they wouldn't believe that she had even agreed to meet him anywhere, for any reason. After walking past three different rows of books, she finally spotted him towards the back of the library. Rushing over to where he was she sat down across from him and forced a soft smile as she took off her coat and placed it on the back of her chair waiting for him to…to what? To explain? To apologize for even suggesting what he had?

Nodding Draco said, "Thank you for coming. I'm glad you decided to come, because the dungeons do tend to get awfully cold during the holidays. Especially if there's no one there." Picking at the table with his fingernail he waited for a response from her because he wasn't quite sure where they stood after their last few days together. He had come to the conclusion that if Hermione Granger wanted to have skewed ideas of what constituted cheating and what didn't that he of all people wouldn't be the one to try to change her mind about them.

She nodded her head in response. "Well, I thought about everything you said and I guess I should be enjoying the holidays by doing other things than just studying." She answers, realizing her own faults as well. She shouldn't have blown up on him, not that it was right that he had been cheating, but at the same time it wasn't like her, Harry, and Ron had never broken any rules either. "Besides, I have had fun these past few days with you. Much more fun than just sitting in the dormitories trying to do schoolwork while Lavender and Pavarti giggle over fashion."

Draco's face made a scorn and he would have sworn on his grave that he saw a similar look of disgust on hers as well. "Well I wanted to show you that even though I may be a Malfoy, even I can have fun doing what you would consider a "Muggle" game..." He said while he reached down and pulled out a standard set of playing cards and a long wooden board with holes back and forth down the length of it that corkscrewed in the shape of a snake bent back on itself.

"But...but that's Cribbage." Hermione answers quickly. "My dad used to play that after dinner every night against me and my mum. How...Why...You know how to play?" She answers, finally getting a full thought to come out of her mouth.

With a wicked grin Draco nodded and said, "Of course. You do know the history behind Cribbage right? Don't tell me in all the reading you do in the library about wizard and muggle relations you've never even heard the history of how it was created?"

Hermione shakes her head from side to side, now completely confused. "No, it...it's not something that I think I could use." She answered, "Not like spells or charms or the history of the wars."

Draco shook his head before replying, "There is actually history out there that's just nice to know Hermione. That won't be on any test or quiz or exam or anything else. Just history that is interesting history to know in and of itself. We non-bookworms refer to it as icebreakers or conversation starters..." He honestly couldn't believe that as smart a witch as she was that she had no idea how the game of cribbage was invented. "It was originally called Noddy many years ago by ancient wizards who used the combined numbers of tarot cards to move the pegs. Some Mudblo-...some muggle servant stole the idea and changed the game a little bit and then sold it to the masses. Now everyone plays cribbage but a long time ago, Noddy was the game to play for witches and wizards."

Hermione listens intently, absorbing every word Draco was telling her as he told them to her. "So, does the wizarding world still call it Noddy then? Or is it called Cribbage here too?" She asks as her eyes lighting up at the knowledge like a child getting a fairy tale read to them.

"Unfortunately it's Cribbage everywhere now. Wizarding or Muggle, it doesn't matter both sides call it the same now." Draco began arranging the pegs on the starting line and then proceeded to shuffle the cards over and over again, his hands shuffling with the practiced skill of a seasoned player. "Ready?" He asked hoping for the crib on the first round.

"I was actually thinking..." Hermione answers, "When I used to play against with my dad, we would make bets before we played. It was always something simple, but it kept the game more interesting. We normally bet on who would do dishes after dinner but if you like...maybe we could bet on something a little more worthwhile? To spice things up?" She offers.

"Well, I rather like getting to spend time with you." Hermione answered, thinking about how to best phrase what she was trying to say. "How does this sound? If I win, we continue to see each other, without telling anyone of course. And if you win, we stick to the original plan. As soon as Christmas Break is over, we stop talking all together. You can go back to being a loathsome, selfish little ferret and I..." She took a deep breath, holding her head high. "I will be the mudblood that hangs out with Harry and Ron."

"I don't think that I'm really winning anything here. I'll get the thing we originally agreed to if I win? Doesn't sound like much of a spice up if you ask me. I think I want a little more . What else have you got to offer?" Draco asked with a sly grin that would make even the slickest of foxes proud.

Hermione looked at Draco strangely. What was he insinuating? "Fine, I stated what I want if I win. What do you want if you do?"

Leaning back in his chair Draco rubbed his chin thoughtfully. What did he want? And was he really willing to risk being caught hanging out with Hermione Granger if he lost? What was worth it to him? "I want you to cheat. If I win then you have to agree to cheat on your next Ancient Runes test. If we're going to make this worthwhile then what I want is to see just how far your willing to go...Just how much of the darkness are you willing to let slip out and take over. That's what I want if I win." Draco nodded pleased with himself that it was a fair deal, though he was almost sure she'd back out now.

Hermione sighed heavily at the thought. She had to cheat? Hermione wasn't a cheater and Draco knew it but here he was, raising the bets to a dangerous new level. How much did she like the visits they had shared these past few days? Enough to cheat? Enough to risk getting caught? She knew cribbage and knew it well. It was a 75/25 game, according to how many games she had played so far growing up. Seventy-five percent of winning was what cards were drawn, pure luck. The other twenty-five was what you did with the cards. Which ones you kept, which ones you threw out, and what order you played them in. It couldn't be that hard. She knew how to do that. She could beat Draco, even if statistically speaking, the odds were more fair than not. She could use that twenty-five percent to her advantage. "Deal." She answered, holding out her hand for him to shake and make it official.

"What's this? A handshake? Are you a witch or not? We lock wands on this one Miss. Granger. If you break a wand lock your wand will crack and you know what that means..." Draco said with a smirk. Just how far was she willing to go? He wondered.

Hermione sighed, hoping she was right with her odds before softly nodding her head. "Fine." She answers, desperately hoping she would win.

Draco drew his wand and held it up in front of him waiting for Hermione to do the same. When she brought hers up and placed it beside his, he instantly felt a hum come from the spot where the two wands met and traveled down the length of his wand to his hand. "Let us play Miss. Granger. By the end of this cards will be played, pegs will be moved, tears will fall, and darkness will ensue," Draco said with a slightly nervous grin as he silently prayed the tears would not be his own.

Hermione nodded her head, cutting the deck first to see who would draw the lowest card. She smiled to herself as she saw the two of hearts come up. A great card to start with, she told herself. The only card Draco could draw was an ace in order to beat her. He had a one in thirteen chance, minus the card that she had already drawn, to get a card lower than her and start the game himself. She couldn't help but gleam at the odds. She could defiantly use the advantage of having the first crib.

Draco could tell by the sudden shift in Hermione's demeanor that she had drawn a lower card, which meant he could only hope that he drew a lower one than hers in order to secure the first crib and hopefully the win. Drawing a card from the deck, he slowly pulled it across the table and holding it up revealed the queen of hearts. "So who's the lucky winner Miss. Granger? I've got the queen of hearts and guessing by the sudden smile across your face I assume you've got something better?" Draco asked crestfallen that he was already looking at the back half of the board right at the start.

"Two of hearts." Hermione answers, flipping the card around to show him as she gathered up the deck, shuffling it again as she smiled silently to herself. She was never really one for competitive games and sports. Her idea of competition was better left in the classroom where it was useful but already she was having fun as she dealt them out. Six cards each, two she would have to put in the crib, which would only help her. Ten, Ten, Three, Four, Four, Five. She tried to keep a straight face, a poker face as her father called it as she didn't even have to think about it and threw the Tens into the crib. It was risky but possibly best.

Gathering up his cards while trying to ignore the smirk on Hermione's face, Draco felt his stomach drop even farther. Eyeing his cards he had a low hand that would yield almost no points. He could feel his luck slowly going from bad to worse as he threw his king and 7 away keeping a pair of nines and a pair of fours hoping that Hermione wasn't as good a player as she thought she was. As the game progressed Draco made up little ground and Hermione managed to gain a substantial lead. Once they had played five rounds and Draco was just breaking the sixty point line while Hermione was already past the Ninety point marker or 'Skunk' line as it was commonly referred to Draco said, "I need a break. You're not bad Miss. Granger. I have to admit I never saw you as much of a cribbage player..."

"Thank you," Hermione answers with a blush as she stared down at the board, standing up and stretching herself. "You aren't too bad yourself." She said, trying to ease up the tension a bit and keep Draco from becoming a sore loser. "The cards just aren't in your favor this game. You are counting all your points like you need to, not leaving me any room to mug them."

"I've got a lot riding on this game. I mean if I can get the 'Brightest witch' of our age to cheat then I just have my proof the world isn't a perfect place," Draco said as he stretched his back but never tearing his gaze away from her so he could see her response.

She blushes slightly. "If I was truly the 'Brightest Witch of Our Age,' then I wouldn't have to cheat." She said with a sigh of defeat. "I don't know why everyone calls me that. For being so 'bright' supposedly, I defiantly don't feel very smart whenever I have to face some of these exams." Hermione knew she couldn't tell Draco the truth. He wouldn't understand. No one would that there were nights where she would stay up studying by the light of her wand until the dormitories started to lighten up from the morning sun, only earning herself two, maybe three hours of sleep before she had to wake up and do it again. She couldn't tell him that there were times she got so frustrated with what she was reading, she wanted to just throw the book across the room and call it quits but what would that make her? Nothing more than what Draco had always assumed, a muggle-born who couldn't handle the stress of the wizarding world.

"Besides, you can only get me to cheat if you win." She answered with a smile, trying to fight back the urge to giggle at the fact that she actually had Draco Malfoy, THE Draco Malfoy, stressing out over something besides his devilishly good looks...wait, did she just think that?

Seeing the look of sudden concentration crossing her face Draco guessed he had better get the game going again before she found a way to get out of playing the rest of it. Sitting back down he asked her again, "You ready for this?"

"As ready as I'm going to be." Hermione answered, sitting back down across from him as she dealt out another hand and the game continued.

As they continued to play Draco's luck only continued to get worse and as Hermione counted her final crib and pegged her last two points the game was over. Running his hand over his face Draco steeled himself for the inevitable onslaught of torture that he was sure she was going to toss his way about being an arrogant twit. "Well that was...interesting." What more could he say? Looking down at the board and seeing the gap between her back peg and his forward peg he shook his head noticing once again that not only had Hermione Granger beat him but she had 'Skunked' him as well meaning it counted as a double loss.

Hermione nods her head, looking down at the board herself. She had beat him, beat Draco Malfoy at something. The first thing she wanted to do was jump for joy, laughing and rubbing it in his face that he lost to 'tainted blood' as he would call it but she knew better. Her father had taught her not to gloat about your own winnings. No one liked someone who rubbed their own good fortunes in someone else's face. "It wasn't that bad." She answered instead, "I mean, like I said, sometimes you just lose. It's mostly in the cards anyway. It has less to do with personal skill and never once did I get to mug points from you so it wasn't your fault but, the Skunk Line would mean I get two prizes, right?" She asked, confused by the thought.

"Yes. It is. So Miss. Granger you've already got me to agree to sneaking away to meet up with you for our little get togethers even after breaks over. What else could you possibly want?" Draco asked crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair but not in a angered way but more of a thoughtful persona.

Hermione sat there, biting her bottom lip as she so often did when she was deep in thought. What did she want? More so, what did she want that Draco Malfoy could offer? She wasn't one for pride, for the 'finer' things in life. Sure, it was nice seeing the wizarding plays from the best seat in the house, but it wasn't something she needed. Her thoughts went wild as to what she could want before finally it clicked. "I want you to stop calling me a filthy mudblood." She answered firmly. "I am a muggle-born and my name is either Hermione or Granger, not mudblood." She says, a firmness to her words.

Draco leaned forward in his chair and started cleaning up the cards and board off the table. "Thats what you want?" He asked thoughtfully as he threw the game back into his back and looked across the table at her. He had already been working on not saying it around her, but now it was serious since they had crossed wands and he was at serious risk of cracking it if he let it slip once around her.

Nodding his head as he stood Draco replied, "Very well then. You won so your prize is whatever you choose. I'll send you a note the next time we can meet then." As he turned to walk away he looked back just long enough to say, "But just so you know you wasted your prize. I would have done it for free..." and then he walked away leaving her sitting there once again in a state of utter shock.


End file.
